Cut and thrust in Parliament on education bill

Labor MPs have thwarted a bid by the Coalition to adjourn the debate of the Australian Education Bill, and Education Minister Peter Garrett has blasted the opposition’s proposed amendments.
Photo: Kate Geraghty

Debate of the Australian Education Bill is under way in the House of Representatives after the Coalition’s bid to have discussion adjourned failed on Tuesday night.

A string of Labor MPs rose to stress their support for the draft legislation, which establishes the framework for reforms recommended by the review of school funding headed by businessman
David Gonski
.

But opposition MPs criticised the bill for a lack of detail and spoke in favour of an amendment moved by opposition education spokesman
Christopher Pyne
.

They said it was irresponsible to continue with debate while a parliamentary inquiry into the bill was ongoing and had yet to hold its first hearings.

The opposition’s amendment would enshrine in the bill parents’ rights to school choice and to invest money in their children’s education without being penalised.

It includes statements such as “families have the right to choose a school that meets their needs, values and beliefs" and “parents who wish to make a private contribution toward the cost of their child’s education should not be penalised".

These points closely reflect the Coalition’s stated policies on schools, as does the amendment’s extension of the existing funding arrangements for two years.

As Labor is facing a very tight time frame for implementing the reforms, which are expected to cost an extra $6.5 billion a year, the amendment proposed the addition of a statement regarding the fact that “schools and parents must have a high degree of certainty about school funding so they can effectively plan for the future".

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Canberra MP Karen Andrews backed the amendment. “The right of choice is fundamental to schooling and parents should be able to choose," she told Parliament on Monday night.

“I believe it’s our responsibility to defend this right and make it easier for parents to choose wherever possible."

In a statement, the federal Minister for School Education, Peter Garrett, blasted Mr Pyne. “Whilst referencing the values and diversity of Catholic and independent schools he completely ignored the values, diversity and achievements of the government school systems, which educate the vast majority of Australian students," he said.

The government is under pressure to release details of the proposed needs-based, per-student funding model at the centre of what Prime Minister Julia Gillard has described as her crusade.

“I am determined that every child in this country gets the chance at life that can only come if he or she gets a world-class education," she said as she announced that the federal election would be held on September 14. “I believe in this is a moral cause – a crusade – but I also believe that our future prosperity is inextricably linked to us winning the education race."

With the April meeting of Coalition of State Governments set down by Ms Gillard as the time for critical decisions, state governments are demanding to know how much they will be expected to contribute to the cost of the reforms.